Taking baby steps.......toward living.

 This is a repeat post, but I needed to read it, and soak it in.....thought maybe you'd be encouraged by it, too.  It's a crazy week here at Southern Inspiration casa, with planning two parties, a scrapbook day, and trying to "get it ALL done".....no time for wimping out now.  So here's a little inspiration I hope you'll enjoy.  I wanted to join in on Sandy's HOME IS......today over at Reluctant Entertainer, but I just didn't have time to write a post about a garage sale find.....I do have a few, but I'll share another time.  Meanwhile you might want to check out this series of hers...and if, by slight chance, you haven't visited her blog, GO NOW....you will be so inspired.  I also thought of posting this to Marla's WooHoo Wednesday post, but not quite sure it qualifies....so go see her, too, and tell her I said hi....enjoy your weather! I do hope it's as  nice as ours is this morning!  I'm off to get my daughter's prom dress hemmed, pick up food for her party on Saturday as well as the Scrapbook Day I"ll be attending, and the party I'll be joining on Saturday...I'm making some cake balls, so I'll let you know how those turn out, and a few dozen other goodies!!!  Have a blessed day, my friends.  And with that, be inspired by this past post:

Remember this list from the 90 year old Regina Brett? Well I loved this list so much that there were a few points that I wanted to ponder, to think "long" about, to share with you my friends. I did indeed love the second point, because you see I tend to be a procrastinator....AND an idealist and in a few areas, a perfectionist. Lump all these together and there are projects I NEVAH want to start for fear of it being too hard, not turning out the way I can envision it, not feeling like I have the right amount of time or energy, etc. The list of excuses can pile up as you see, I am also very creative!!! Especially when it comes to putting things off and listing why I can't start yet. I think somewhere under the proverbial rug, is an amount of fear that the results will not be what I want. And I need to get over that.

What about you? Do you "just do it" when it comes to projects or do you do as I do? Put it off forever for fear of imperfection? I have unfinished projects because I don't want them to come out badly! Wanna join the get over it club???? LOL.

This principle applies to so many other things, too, doesn't it? Even though that next somewhat small step may be a HUGE step of FAITH for you, what does it take to step out in faith? What does it take to motivate you to take the next small step......do you allow doubt to creep in and paralyze you from taking the next step? Do we allow fear to conquer us and render us paralyzed? I know I do sometimes. And I am my own worst enemy, and probably more critical of myself than anyone else! Faith is a gift from God, not even something I must muster up myself...so what am I waiting for?????
That next small step may be a social situation for you, stepping out of your comfort zone and going somewhere you've never been, but would like to go. It might be finding a new friend by going to a new park, play group or church. It might be sharing your true feeling or thoughts on a subject you feel passionate about. Stepping out (getting the foot in gear) is easier once you get over the mental hurdles, isn't it? Lack of self-confidence can be a REAL killer to trying new things.

I want to encourage you to NOT let fear drive you. Don't let fear prevent you from taking a small step that may turn out to be the best thing you've ever done. Don't let doubt drive you to escape back into your shell, your comfort zone. I once heard a speaker say..."Live out loud.....many of us get to the end of our lives only to find out we've been dead a long time...." so I encourage you, my friend to LIVE OUT LOUD.......
Sometimes it just takes a bit of accountability, doesn't it? Let me know how you choose to live out loud, by choosing to take those baby steps, by choosing to employ faith over fear, by choosing to accomplish what you want to accomplish. Don't let fear choke you to death.